The present invention relates generally to battery cable clamps and more particularly to a modification to existing battery cable clamps which facilitates the breaking of corroded connections and the removal of battery cable clamps from the battery post.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that most automobiles, motorized vehicles and inboard boats are started via battery power and that the standardized modern battery is the 12-volt battery having metal posts for the opposing polarities of the battery to which connector cables are attached. The standard battery cable connector is a yoke-type structure. The battery cable is connected to one end of the connector and the yoke portion of the connector is fitted over the battery post and clamped down onto the battery post by tightening a nut onto a bolt passing through the two ends of the yoke.
Many standard 12-volt batteries will last for several years, especially when used sparingly, as in some recreational boats. During the course of the life of a battery, corrosion buildup may occur and may cause the battery clamp to attach by corrosion to the battery post. Corrosion also tends to build up between the bolt and the nut threaded on the bolt and used to tighten the yoke about the battery post. Corrosion may impair the proper transmission of battery power from the battery post through the battery cable clamp to the battery cable thereby diminishing the electrical power available. To remedy the diminished transmission of power, the battery cable clamp has to be removed, corrosion brushed away and the clamp reamed out so that a solid connection between the clamp and the post can be re-established. This process generally requires loosening of the nut on the bolt clamping the yoke about the post and xe2x80x9cbreakingxe2x80x9d the corrosive seal between the clamp and the post to remove the clamp. In addition, if the battery is spent, the old battery must be removed and replaced with a new one. In these circumstances, once again, the battery cable clamp must be loosened and the seal of the corrosion broken to remove the clamp from the post. Because of the corrosion of the nut to the bolt clamping the yoke to the battery post, either the process of cleaning the battery post and battery cable clamp or replacing the battery can be time consuming and difficult.
What is needed, then, is a battery cable clamp that will overcome the problems with prior art devices.
Instead of the standard bolt which passes through the ends of the yoke and nut that is tightened to secure the clamp about the battery post, the battery cable clamp of the invention utilizes a bolt with a clamping handle. The connection between the bolt head and the attached handle includes a boss or camming structure that increases or decreases the clamping pressure of the bolt based on a small rotation of the handle. Thus, the nut on the bolt connecting the two legs of the yoke can be tightened finger tight and the handle rotated approximately half of a turn to substantially increase the clamping pressure of the bolt. When it is desired to remove the battery cable clamp, the handle can be released and a substantial decrease in the clamping pressure of the bolt results. The nut on the bolt can then be easily loosened to relieve additional pressure on the battery cable clamp. A lever with a hook end is fitted over the bolt and positioned between the two legs of the yoke of the battery cable clamp so that if the battery cable clamp remains corroded to the battery post, the handle can be swung to the opposite side of the bolt and a pull on the handle looped over the lever and the handle then used to apply pressure through the pull against the lever to create a wedging force between the two legs of the yoke in order to separate and spread the battery cable clamp and loosen it from the battery post. Preferably at least the handle, nut and seat interfacing with the boss on the handle are made of non-corrosive and even non-metallic materials. In this fashion, preferably the entire operation of the invention is possible without the need for using any additional tools.